


LoveSquare Week 2020

by kittinoir



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Comfort, Concert, F/M, Flowers, Fluff, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Miraculous AU, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Reveal, Trust, Your Voice, adrientte, ladrien, lovesquare week 2020, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:47:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22588144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittinoir/pseuds/kittinoir
Summary: A series of one shots featuring all corners of the lovesquare. Pure fluff
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 104
Kudos: 202





	1. Concert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A private concert for Marinette

Marinette huffed as she sprinted back to the school for her forgotten book bag. The bell had rung only moments before an akuma alert had gone out and Marinette had abandoned her bag in her locker in her haste to transform. She’d told herself she’d come back when she was done - and then she’d forgotten. She’d been home for hours after she’d purified Hawkmoth’s latest victim before remembering she had homework.

“I’m going to be up all night, Tikki,” Marinette groaned as she pushed through the doors into the locker room. And that right there was one of the worst parts about her secret identity. It wasn’t like she could just say to her teachers ‘Oh, sorry, I was saving Paris, you know, _again_ and I forgot about my homework.’ Not, she had to admit, that that was something she really wanted to do. She’d managed to be a straight A student and class representative while still being Ladybug without making a misstep. She didn’t want special treatment. She just wanted to be normal.

And normal students got their homework done, whether there was an akuma attack or not. 

Marinette spun the dial on her locker and quickly retrieved her bag, sagging at the weight of not only the books but the long night ahead. It would fine, she tried to tell herself as she made for the door. She could do this. It was a nice night; maybe she could sit on her balcony and do it. Enjoy the fresh air. 

Her hand was on the front doors of the school when a fall of tinkling music drifted from the second floor like dust in a sunbeam.

“What - ” Marinette hesitated, then turned back towards the classrooms.

“Marientte,” Tikki chirped, looking pointedly at the door.

“I know, just…one second.”

Marinette turned and made for the stairs, following the unmistakeable sounds of the piano. It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard it before, she just hadn’t heard anything so…good. Marinette eased down the hallway, letting her eyes drift closed, letting her feet take her to the music room by memory. The music wrapped around her, teasing her, drawing her down the hall. It was so sad, but so beautiful. Lilting.

Marinette finally stopped and rested a hand against the doorway. She didn’t want to open her eyes, almost convinced if she did the music would stop. Except with a discordant note, it did.

“Marinette!”

Marinette’s eyes flew open as she stumbled back from the doorway, nearly sending herself down a flight of stairs. She righted herself at the last moment, coming halfway back to the doorway. “Adrien?”

Beams of late afternoon sunlight brightened the music room like a painting, illuminating the piano and her crush in the middle of the floor. He’d always been beautiful, but in that moment he looked absolutely angelic, the music a gift from the heavens itself. It wasn’t fair. It was too much for one person. She couldn’t breathe. 

“I didn’t mean to - interrupt,” Marinette choked out, bracing herself in the doorway. “I just - It was really…beautiful.”

Adrien’s brows rose in surprise, as though he’d never received a compliment before. “You think so?”

“Of course,” Marinette said. She straightened a little, his surprising lack of confidence making it a little easier to talk. “The melody was so delicate. Light. I could listen to you play forever.” Marinette noticed Adrien’s blush before she realized what she said. “Not that I want to spend forever with you, although who wouldn’t? I mean, it was just - amazing.”

Adrien softened, a small smile replacing his look of surprise. “Would you…maybe want to do me a favour then?”

“A favour?” Tingles raced down Marinette’s spine. “What kind of favour?”

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. “Would you be interested in listening to the whole thing properly? The recital’s in a few days and my piano’s out of commission…I haven’t been able to practice as much as I’d like to and I’m a little nervous, I guess.”

“I’m not really…a music expert,” Marinette admitted.

Adrien dismissed her concern with a shake of his head. “That’s ok. I value your opinion, Marinette. Please?”

Oh boy. That ‘please’ was trouble - not, of course, that she wanted to say no. That was the problem with Adrien Agreste: she never did. 

“Sure,” Marinette said. She walked a short ways into the room, taking the nearest seat by the abandoned music stands. “I’d love to.”

Adrien flashed her a quick smile, freer than the ones she was used to seeing. There was true happiness there as opposed to the short, guarded smiles she usually saw. It was nearly gone before she could note it as he turned back to the piano and started again. 

Just like before, Marinette found herself swept away by the melody. It started off so sad, so melancholy, and even as the notes rose in pitch, they betrayed a kind of helplessness that couldn’t be ignored. She closed her eyes again as Adrien played, every note perfect.

The music slowed, the notes softening. Marinette frowned as the melody changed. She almost opened her eyes, except - she recognized it. Debussy’s Reverie. He played it softer than she’d heard it in the past, more gentle.

And then she did open her eyes - and nearly jumped when she realized Adrien was watching her with a soft smile. His smile grew as their eyes met. Marinette could feel her heart thundering in her chest as she stood and slowly walked to the piano. She slid onto the bench beside Adrien as he continued to play, hands light as his fingers glided over the ivory keys.

They were both silent as the piece came to a close, those impossibly delicate final notes hanging between them. Marinette could feel his eyes on her but she couldn’t make herself look up from the piano.

“That…wasn’t the song you were practicing,” she finally said.

“No,” Adrien said simply. 

She should go. She should compliment him and leave, and focus on her homework.

Instead, she asked, “Why?”

“You’re a very giving person, Marinette,” he said softly. “Kind. Generous. I just…wanted to give you something. And when I saw… it just seemed right.”

Now. She should tell him now. The moment was right. She could feel it. She even had her lucky socks on. _Now_.

“Adrien, I - ” Oh no. Marinette could feel it, that sea-sick feeling she got whenever she met those green eyes. “I…thank you. It was lovely.”

And then she was up and moving, grabbing her bag on her way out the door. She paused just long enough to smile and wave, nearly falling again as she tripped as the sight of him gilded in sunlight. 

Of course, had Marinette been listening with her eyes open, she might have noticed the exact moment Adrien looked up at her reclining in the sunlight and stumbled. She might have noticed the widening of his eyes, his stare. She might have noticed him watching her even as he segued into Reverie.

She might have noticed that she wasn’t the only one having trouble breathing.


	2. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug is too injured to fight when Chat Noir is late to a fight; she needs to rely on the one and only Adrien Agreste to patch herself up before getting back out there

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!”

Ladybug panted as she slid down the steep side of the roof, away from the akuma. The battle had dragged on for almost an hour now, and it was one of the hardest. Hawkmoth was getting better at this, and Chat Noir… well, he hadn’t shown up yet.  
She pushed her concern aside. She couldn’t deal with that and the amount of pain she was in at the same time. She wasn’t sure exactly what the akuma’s power had been, but she could say that being struck in the back by it felt a lot like what she imagined being cataclysmed in the ribs felt like.

She had to get out of there. If Chat Noir wasn’t going to make it, she had to get Rena Rouge or, if the hit she took was any indication, Carapace. 

She swung out with her yoyo, wincing at the movement, and dropped down into the alley below. She stifled a cry as she landed, her knees buckling at the impact. What had initially been a blow to her back now felt like lightning cleaving through her muscles.

“M...Ladybug?”

Ladybug cringed back against the brick wall at her back, throwing her arms up to protect herself even as she grit her teeth at the pain of it. She glanced through her up stretched arms and nearly fell back into the street in surprise.

Of all the places she expected to see Adrien Agreste, it was not in a garbage-strewn alley with his hands fisted at his sides and looking for all the world like he was about to sprint into the street she’d just left behind to take on the akuma himself. 

“What are you _doing_ here,” she demanded. She climbed to her feet, hoping he didn’t notice the way she fully leaned against the wall for support. Before she’d been hurting, but now she was terrified. Adrien was here. Adrien was in danger. And she was in no shape to protect him. “You need to leave, Adrien. It’s not safe here. Please.”

He blinked at his name, as though surprised she knew it, like his face wasn’t plastered across Paris. His look of surprise faded, however, the longer he looked at her. Concern took it’s place, and he took a hesitant step towards her.

“You’re hurt.” It wasn’t a question.

“I can handle this,” she said. She had to be strong. It had been a battle in the beginning just to convince the city Hawkmoth’s akuma’s weren’t something normal law enforcement could handle. She couldn’t show weakness now. She couldn’t let Adrien, couldn’t let her city, down like that. “I just need a little luck.”

He looked like he was about to say something else, but she didn’t give him a chance to as she summoned her lucky charm. Adrien shielded his eyes as the lucky charm dropped down into Ladybug’s hands with a quiet rattle. 

“Painkillers?”

“They’re for you,” Adrien said quietly. She looked up, surprised, but he just gave her an even look that told her he’d seen right past her bravado. “You’re too hurt to fight.”

“But…” But if they were for her, then she’d have to destransform to recharge Tikki. And there was no where for Adrien to go except into the heart of the fight. “I…I can’t.”

“You’re Ladybug,” Adrien said. He risked another step closer, closing her hand around the bottle. “You can do anything.”

His trust in her nearly broke her heart as much as it terrified her. Because Adrien was the one person she knew for absolute certain could never learn her secret.

“You can’t look,” she finally whispered, afraid to even say too loud what she was about to do. “I have to detransform and…recharge a bit. When I do, I won’t…I won’t be able to protect you, and…if you look, you’ll know who I am. You can’t look, Adrien. It’s not safe.”

She expected a riot of emotions, perhaps surprise and a little awe, like Alya. 

But Adrien’s face was a calm mask of quiet admiration as he gave her a little bow and dutifully turned his back to her to face the opening of the alley. “Do what you need to do, Ladybug. I’ll keep you safe until you’re ready to go again. You have nothing to fear from me.”

Maybe it was the unwavering way he said it. Maybe it was the way he stood tall at the entrance of the alley, like nothing really would get past him. Maybe it was because she was a little in love with him. But she believed him.

So she used the lucky charm, and as she felt their magic start to work, she let her transformation dissolve.

Tikki practically fell out of the air, looking as dazed as Marinette felt. The kwami opened her mouth to talk, but froze when she saw Adrien over Marinette’s shoulder. Rather than say anything, Marinette simply nodded. They were trusting him. As though she could read her mind, Tikki stayed silent as Marinette retrieved a macaroon for her. The less Adrien knew about the miraculous and how they worked, the safer they’d all be. 

“Where’s Chat Noir?”

Marinette flinched at Adrien’s question, but he hadn’t moved from his position. 

“I don’t know,” she admitted. She was surprised by the hurt she felt saying it. “I called for him but he just…never showed up.”

“I’m sure he…he would have been here if he could have been.” 

“I’m sure of that, too,” Marinette said. “He’s never let me down before. I’m just…I’m worried something’s happened to him.” The truth was, too many things could have happened to him. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d been manipulated by a senti-monster or a liar, not the first time he’d been trapped or hit by the akuma before she crossed paths with it. Or, her worst fear: that Hawkmoth would get to him and she wouldn’t even know until it was much too late.

Adrien’s voice sounded strained. “He’s a lucky guy to have a partner that cares about him so much.”

“I’m the lucky one,” Marinette said, half to herself. Tikki rose up from Marinette’s palm, still shaky but ready to go. Marinette nodded. “Tikki, spots on.”

The pink flash lit the alley as Marinette transformed. “Thank you,” she said. “It’s safe to look now.”

Still, Adrien hesitated a moment longer, as if to make sure. When he finally did turn around, that implacable mask was still in place. “Any time,” he said softly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Ladybug said, surprising herself. The lucky charm had worked faster than normal medication. She was still achey, but she felt like she was ready to get back out there. “Thank you. I’ll lead the akuma away from here. When I do, I want you to run, ok? No arguing now.”

She must having imagined the surprise that flashed in those impossibly green eyes, for it was gone in an instant. “I’ll stay safe,” Adrien promised. “Good luck.”

Before she could think herself out of it, Ladybug leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you,” she said again. And then she was gone, flying back to the rooftops and towards the sounds of battle. 

“Looks like we were too late to the party, kid,” Plagg said as he swirled out of Adrien’s jacket. The kwami stretched as though he didn’t have a care in the world, but Adrien knew what concerned looked like on him. 

“It’s not over yet,” Adrien said, but he hesitated, still staring after Ladybug.

“What?” Plagg asked, drifting closer. “What is it?”

“She said…” Adrien blinked and shook his head as if he could simply shake his thoughts into order. “She said if I looked…if I saw her without the mask, that I would know her.”

“Probaly, ah, just a turn of phrase,” Plagg said with forced nonchalance. “You know how explaining things to a civilian can be.”

Adrien stared at his kwami a little too long, a little too measured. “Sure,” he finally said. “Let’s go, then. Plagg, claws out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thank you for reading! Tomorrow's chapter will be delayed, as I'm going away for the weekend. The fic is written and will be posted here on Sunday, although it is queued in my Tumblr if you would like to read it there <3 you can find me at kittyynoirr.tumblr.com


	3. Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir and Adrien seem to have similar ideas about Shakespeare

Luck was on Marinette’s side. After literal months of pining, wishing, and pleading, she’d finally landed a group project with Adrien. No Chloe. No Lila. No problem.

Luck was not on her side. After literal months of pining, wishing, and pleading, she’d been assigned to perform a scene from _Romeo and Juliet_ with Adrien. No Chloe. No Lila. _Big problem._

She’d agonized over it with Alya during their next class. She and Adrien had agreed to meet at lunch to discuss their project, which meant she had exactly eighty six minutes to figure out how to play this. 

“If I suggest we do the scene where they meet, we have to kiss,” Marinette said as she pretended to write notes. “But if I suggest we do the scene where they die, _we still have to kiss_.”

“Girl, that sounds like the opposite of a problem,” Alya said, trying to contain her laughter.

“No!” Marinette said. She pushed so hard on her pencil the lead accidentally snapped. “I don’t want to be my first kiss with Adrien to be in front of everyone!”

“You’re supposed to rehearse before hand, you know,” Alya said with a knowing look. “So it wouldn’t technically be your first kiss.”

“Alya!” Marinette ground out. “Not! Helping!”

Alya just shook her head. “You’re ok, Marinette! Just suggest the balcony scene. Romeo and Juliet don’t even touch in that scene. If that’s what you’re worried about, go with that one.”

“Brilliant!” Marinette said as she scribbled the note in the margin of her tablet. “You’re brilliant. Thank you, Alya.”

“Don’t even worry about it,” Alya giggled. 

But she did worry about it. Because the truth wasn’t that she didn’t want to kiss him in front of everyone. It was that she didn’t think she could take it if it wasn’t for real. 

Yet, as it turned out, it wasn’t even the kissing that was the problem, if it had ever even been the problem at all. It was Adrien. Not that he wasn’t an awesome scene parter. He was. Her crush _knew_ how to perform, as if pretending to be someone else was second nature. 

But that, combined with the iambic pentameter, spelled disaster. She tripped over her words around him on a good day - and without Nino or Alya to buffer, it was not a good day. Adrien had been fine with the balcony scene, content to take her direction. It had even gone well at first, when all she had to do was talk to herself. But as soon as ‘Romeo and Juliet’ started talking to each other, she was done.

Adrien never said anything, but when the hour was up, he’d left, claiming other responsibilities. Marinette had just waved, having embarrassed herself enough in the past hour she didn’t trust herself to speak.

“It was a total disaster, Tikki,” Marinette said, hours later as she paced on her balcony. “I sounded like I was having a stroke. It was so lame!”

“Not complete disaster, Marinette,” Tikki said as she watched her owner. “The part at the beginning was good.”

“I can’t look at him without tripping over my words!” Marinette ran her fingers through her bangs, rifling them in frustration for not the first time that hour. “It doesn’t even matter if they’re scripted, I just can’t - ”

“You can fight Hawkmoth almost every day but your can’t memorize a few lines?” Tikki said skeptically. “Come on, Marinette. If you just memorize your lines, it won’t matter who you’re looking at.”

“I don’t know,” Marinette said, finally collapsing onto her chaise. “Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I should just ask to switch partners. Alya and I could do a scene. Then again, I could get stuck with Chloe…or worse.”

“Talking to yourself?”

Marinette let out a little shriek as she reeled back, nearly falling off the chaise. “Chat Noir?”

“The one and only.” He was sitting on her railing, twirling the end of his belt lazily in one hand. Marinette’s heart pounded, but if he’d seen Tikki, he’d have been freaking out, right? Right??? “I was passing by and thought I heard a damsel in distress.”

“Ah, haha, uh, fake…distress,” Marinette said, resettling herself. “I was running lines. For school.”

Chat Noir cocked his head. “Lines?”

“Romeo and Juliet,” Marinette clarified, gesturing to the script on her little table in front of him. 

“Ah, yes,” he said, picking it up and flipping through the pages. “The balcony scene.” He dropped the script back on the table, springing abruptly to his feet. “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.”

“You _know_ it?” Marinette couldn’t stop herself from asking. 

“We do live in the city of love,” he said with a wink. “Besides, who doesn’t know it?”

“Just me, I guess,” Marinette muttered with a glare at the pages. “I need to learn it for class but I keep tripping over the words.”

“It’s not the easiest thing to memorize,” Chat Noir said as he sat back on her railing. “But not impossible. I’ve got a few minutes, if you want to give it a shot.”

Marinette blinked. “You do?”

“Sure,” he said, tossing her the script. And then Marinette’s heart leapt into her throat as he simply stepped off her balcony into thin air.

“ _Chat Noir!_ ” Marinette lunged for the railing.

“M’lady Capulet?” He was standing on the roof where it slanted out over the window in her room, merely a foot below her balcony. “I don’t believe that’s your line.”

Marinette clenched her jaw, but forced herself to relax, to lean on the railing where he’d been sitting and gaze out over the city, her chin in her palm. “Aye, me.” The words were ground out rather than sighed on a love-sick breath, but she figured that part would come naturally when she was practicing with Adrien. At least she’d memorized something. 

“She speaks!” Chat Noir declared. Marinette tried not to giggle as he spoke of her grace and beauty. It actually reminded her of the time he’d ended up on her balcony all those nights ago and she’d tried to keep him from finding out she was Ladybug by confessing her love.

“Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” Did it count as learning the lines if they were some of the most famous ones in history? “Be but sworn, my love, and I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”

“Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?” Though he was supposed to say it to himself, Chat Noir raised his brows and gestured, as though encouraging her to give more.

Well, ok then. “Tis but thy name that is my enemy!” Marinette declared, draping herself dramatically across the railing and fanning herself with a hand. “Romeo, doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee, take all myself!”

Marinette nearly broke character as a rose appeared beneath her nose. “I take the at thy word!” Chat said, offering her the flower he’d taken from her window box. “Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized; henceforth, I never will be Romeo.”

And so it went, back and forth, easier than Marinette thought it could be. The old writing suddenly seemed as clear as a children’s book, and working with Chat Noir felt more natural than she was comfortable admitting.

“You’re…really good,” Chat said when they finally finished. He sounded more surprised by that fact then she cared to think about.

“You’re not so bad,” Marinette said. “Thanks for helping me out.”

“All part of the job,” Chat Noir said, pulling out his baton. “But it was my pleasure. Now, I do have to finish my patrol, or Ladybug isn’t going to be too happy with me. Best of luck on your assignment!”

Then he was gone, bounding across the rooftops.

And if Marinette decided to pretend it was Chat Noir she was performing with instead of Adrien… well, who could really blame her. Especially when it worked. Besides, she very much doubted anyone noticed her stumble when Adrien produced a rose of his own, pink instead of red, the familiarity of the flower momentarily taking her out of the piece. 

But by the time they were done, Alya was gushing so much she didn’t even remember the hiccup.  
She did keep the rose, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thank you so much for reading. Today is a double post day because I was away yesterday <3


	4. Your Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien makes a surprising comparison during a visit from one of Paris' superheroes

Adrien’s eyes snapped open at the sound of someone at his window. He knew he came and went from there frequently, but his room _was_ on the second floor. He sat up slowly, even as his subconscious called him an idiot for thinking Hawkmoth would bother let him know he was there if he really had hunted him down.

But he hadn’t. Because there at his window, illuminated by the moonlight, was Ladybug, gilded in silver. Her back was to him, her knees bent as though she were about to leap from the ledge.

“Wait!” Adrien ripped the covers back and stumbled out of bed. Ladybug started at his voice, arms windmilling as she nearly fell. 

“You sure know how to keep a girl on her toes,” she said as she latched onto the window to steady herself. Adrien nearly fell over at the pun. It was too early for this. Or was it too late? He didn’t know, and it didn’t matter. He hadn’t been able to sleep anyway. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, opening the window a little wider. “Ah, not that I’m not flattered, but…what are you doing here?”

He’d fought by her side for the better part of a year now, and he’d only ever seen Ladybug blush once. It was nothing compared to what he saw spreading from beneath her mask now. It was beautiful. _She_ was beautiful. He wanted to make it happen more.

“I just wanted to…check on you,” she said. She ducked her head and made to sit on the edge of the window. Adrien automatically offered her a hand. She hesitated for only a moment before taking it and easing herself onto the sill, her feet dangling into the room. “After the akuma attack today. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Oh. Right. The attack. Another heart-broken, akumatized girl after Lila had sent out that picture, bent on hunting him down. He knew it was a necessary evil, but he hadn’t anticipated the risks that would come with it. He wondered if it made him a bad person that he thought the risks were worth it. That…that Marinette was worth it. After all, he could…take care of the complications.

“I shouldn’t have come,” Ladybug said, misinterpreting his silence. Her fingers clenched on the sill, and for a moment Adrien wanted to feel the bare skin of her hand on his so badly it literally made his chest ache.

“Not at all,” he managed. He rubbed the back of neck, trying to relax. “I’m flattered. It’s not every day you get a personal visit from a superhero.”

“It’s not every day I make house calls,” Ladybug murmured. “So…are you? Ok?”

“Oh, yeah.” He smiled, hoping the shadows hid his cringe. “A few close calls but you and Chat Noir saved me. I should be thanking you, really.”

There it was again. That blush. He felt one spread across his own cheeks at the sight of it, could practically hear Plagg teasing him. 

“All in a days work,” she said, hooking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. 

“It isn’t the first time you’ve saved me,” he said, risking bringing up their previous encounters. “I guess that makes you _my_ lucky charm.”

And wonder of wonders, she laughed. She raised one hand to her lips, a hand he’d seen punch a man twice her size and lay him out flat, now delicately covering her mouth as she giggled. And it struck a chord of familiarity in him he couldn’t ignore. 

“What?” she asked, noticing his stare.

“Nothing,” he said absently. “Your laugh, it just… it reminds me a bit of this girl in my class.” Adrien smiled softly as he leaned against the open window next to Ladybug’s, taking in the fresh air.

“Oh?” If he’d still been watching her, he might have noticed how still she’d become.

“Her name’s Marinette,” he said. “You’d like her. We call her our everyday Ladybug. She’s amazing.”

“…Amazing?”

Adrien nodded. “She was one of my first friends when I first started going to school.” He laughed. “We almost weren’t. She didn’t like me at first…there was a misunderstanding with some chewing gum. I’m really glad I sorted it out because she’s turned out to be one of the best friend’s anyone could have. She’s loyal, and smart, beautiful, and kind.”

Ladybug shifted beside him, but if there was tension in her shoulders, Adrien didn’t notice it. “I guess it’s my turn to be flattered, if I remind you of someone like that.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean…” Adrien straightened as he searched for the words. What did he mean?

“It’s fine,” Ladybug said, waving him off. She smiled and got her feet back under her. “I’m glad you’re safe. I’ll see you around, Agreste.”

And then she was leaping from his window before he could stop her again. Later, when she got home, Tikki would tell her that she no longer sounded like the only one with a crush, to which Marinette would point out exactly how many times he’d called her his _friend_ before collapsing into bed, exhausted and finally able to sleep.

And somewhere across the city, Plagg would be saying the same thing. Adrien, on the other hand, did not sleep at all.


	5. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir comforts Ladybug a year after receiving their miraculous

Ladybug didn’t move as Chat Noir landed behind her on near-silent feet. Paris was spread out below them, the shimmering lights of the city glittering as though the night sky itself had turned upside down.

He hesitated for a moment, taking his lady in. He couldn’t believe it had been an entire year since that first day. Since Stoneheart. Irony of ironies, there had been no akuma attack that day to commemorate the occasion. 

A year somehow seemed impossibly long to him. A year of living in terror. A year of Hawkmoth, of akumas. A year of constant battles, of life on hold.

And yet, it seemed impossibly short, for there could never be enough of this. Never enough patrols, never enough freedom, never enough of _her_.

“Happy Anniversary,” he teased, unable to stop himself. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been day-dreaming ways to celebrate the event, though in the face of the parade the city had thrown, he’d come up short. In the end he’d decided he’d get right to the point. 

“Happy Anniversary,” Ladybug murmured. She didn’t turn around to face him from where she sat on the edge of the viewing platform of the tower. 

“Maybe it’s just me, but you don’t actually _sound_ happy,” he said, dropping down beside her. In fact, she looked nearly as miserable he’d ever seen her. She kept her head down, her bangs covering her face, her shoulders tight. Something inside him tore at the sight. He clenched his hands to keep from reaching for her. As much as he wanted to pull her in, he understood and respected her boundaries, and right then, whatever was going on, she needed him. “Ladybug?”

She finally looked up at him, and when she did, he felt a little piece of his heart shatter completely. Those bluebell eyes he was always drowning in were swimming in unshed tears. She was biting her bottom lip as though she could keep whatever she was feeling bottled up, even as one of those tears escaped.

“I…I’m afraid to t-tell you,” she confessed, furiously wiping the tear away. Another one immediately followed. “I know that you don’t - that you don’t feel the same way I do and - and I’m afraid to h-hurt you.”

“Hey, listen,” Chat Noir said, brushing away the other tear, “Nothing you could say or do could hurt me.” He paused, as though considering. “Although if you tell me you don’t think I’m funny, I might take that a little purr-sonally.”

And she laughed, just like he hoped she would. Not enough to fix what she was feeling, but enough to help, to make it manageable. And he would sit there and listen to whatever she had to say. Even if it was, as he was beginning to suspect, that she had finally confessed to her love - and he loved her back. Because losing that chance was the only thing that could truly hurt him.

And how could this boy not love her back? She’d promised no one in her life knew about her being Ladybug, but he had a hard time believing she wasn’t just as amazing as a person in her every day life. This boy would have to be blind not to see it, and stupid to turn her down.

“I hate this,” Ladybug blurted out. Chat blinked, not entirely sure where they’d been in conversation but completely surprised by where they’d ended up. 

“You hate…what?”

“This.” She gestured to the city, and…to them. …Ouch. Ok, she’d been right, as she always was. That did hurt. Although, not as much as what he’d been expecting. Still, he stayed silent. He knew she needed the quiet to talk through her feelings, to clarify. 

“Not all the time,” Ladybug continued. “Almost never. And never you. I never hate you.” She paused, glancing up at him before quickly looking back out over the city. As if she’d heard his heart skip a beat. “I hate that it’s been a year and we still haven’t stopped Hawkmoth. I hate that we can’t go a day without our lives being interrupted by an attack. I hate that I have to lie to my friends. To my parents. I hate that I have to keep this big, huge part of my life a secret. I hate that I feel like the people closest to me don’t even know me because I have to lie so much. I hate that I’m always tired because nightmares keep waking me up. I hate the responsibility because I’m so tired but I can’t _rest_.”

She finally stopped, sucking in a deep breath as she tilted her head back, as though she could keep the tears in that way. She let it out, and swayed for a moment before leaning in against his shoulder. She’d done it before, but only once. He hadn’t understood the context, but he’d known what she needed then. He knew it now. So he wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, pulling her in, lending his strength.

“Me, too” he admitted. “Sometimes. I hate the secrets. I hate putting my friends and family at risk. It can be a burden. But you’re not a bad person, or any less of a hero, for feeling that way. You’re just…human. And we… _you_ give so much of yourself to this city, I think it’s fair to have a moment of weakness.”

“That’s all Hawkmoth would need,” Ladybug whispered. “That’s all he’d need to win.”

“No,” Chat Noir said with a shake of his head. “Because you’re not in this alone. You will always have me, and I can be strong enough for the both of us when you need a break. We’re a team, m’lady. I’ll always keep you safe.”

“Some days I wonder if we’ll be able to win,” she admitted. He was glad she wasn’t looking at him then, because if she was, he’d see the stone-cold terror that crossed his face at the confession. He understood it because some days he felt that way, too. But to hear her say it out loud… Even though they were the same, even though he knew she was just a girl, she so rarely let him see this side of her. It was easy to forget she had limits. 

“Of course we’ll win,” he said, resting a cheek on her head. “We’re the good guys. We always win.”

Another soft laugh, but it lacked real humour. They both knew that wasn’t how the real world worked. 

“We will end this,” he vowed, “And then it’ll all be over. We’ll have our friends, our families, our lives back. No more secrets. No more lies. We’ll be happy. We’ll be…” He trailed off, afraid to reveal too much. He didn’t mind. He’d wanted to share his life with her for the longest time, but she’d been clear about their identities. He couldn’t give too much away, and he loved her too much to ever hurt her that way.

“You really think we’ll be happy?”

“I know we will,” he said.

Ladybug finally looked up at him. The tears were gone. “How?”

“Because, with you, m’lady, I already am.” And securing happiness for her, too, was the only thing he really cared about anymore. 

Even if that meant one day letting her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know this one ended up a little angsty. It was a little challenging not to with the prompt, and I didn't come up with a better idea until after I'd finished this one, so. Sorry! The next two are also more serious and have a mix of both elements, but they're certainly fun. Thanks for reading!


	6. AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where everything is the same except Chat Noir is working with Hawkmoth

Chat Noir waited in the upper beams of the Eiffel Tower, observing the city. This high up, the wind tore at his blonde hair, whipped at his face, but he barely felt it. He was focused, determined, waiting. Waiting for _her._ He knew she’d show up. She always did.

He didn’t have to wait long. 

It was mere moments before he saw that familiar red blur swinging across the rooftops of Paris. He couldn’t see her face yet, but he could imagine the furious scowl, the condemnation in those beautiful eyes. Absolutely devastating.

He watched, idly twirling his baton between his fingers, as she slid to a stop in the plaza below, mere feet away from his father’s latest creation. She kept her weapon at hand, currently in use as a shield, and though her enemy was impossible to miss, she kept searching the area. He’d be lying if he said his heart didn’t give a little stutter at the sight. He’d also be lying if he said he wasn’t flattered.

But he stuck to the shadows of the beams, watching and trying to convince himself what he felt was a rush of adrenaline and nothing more. It wasn’t admiration, and it certainly wasn’t anything like affection - even if ‘affection’ was putting it much too lightly, if he was being honest with himself.  
Which he hadn’t been doing much of lately.

He watched as Ladybug ran out of time and the akuma-victim struck, lashing out. She dodged it easily, no surprise there. Good technique, but a little over-zealous. Did the trick, he supposed. She dodged another swipe, springing across the plaza. God, she even made fighting look beautiful. 

He slid down a beam, a little closer to the fight. She hadn’t brought a friend this time, and some small part of him quietly warmed at that. Just the two of them; that was how he preferred it. 

_Shut up_. Those kinds of thoughts could only lead down one path, and he wasn’t sure he could take any more heartbreak just then. 

He slipped closer again, now maybe just twenty feet above them. His tail (god, it was still weird to think of it like that) lashed behind him as he watched. He hated waiting. 

“Lucky Charm!”

Chat Noir couldn’t help the feline grin that lit his face as she finally activated her power. And not, he told himself, because it meant he could finally, _finally_ spar with her, talk with her again. No. It was definitely because his plan was falling into place.

Ladybug attacked the villain with renewed energy. He saw her glance around, could practically see how she was planning on using the little spotted toy that had dropped into her hand. He was close enough now that he could see the cute little crease between her brow that always appeared when she was trying to figure out her lucky charm. And if he couldn’t pretend his heart didn’t skip a beat as he marked her victory smile when she did figure it out, he could at least ignore it.

Chat Noir slid down the leg of the Eiffel tower the rest of the way to the ground as the sounds of the battle washed over him. There was a brief moment of silence seconds before his feet touched down, then a quick shout followed by the sound of something breaking. 

“Time to de-evilize!” Oh, god, that was adorable. He heard the yo-yo whiz out, heard it snap shut. Show time. 

Chat Noir saw her clearly as he sprinted around the side of the tower towards her. Her back was to him, as he’d planned, and her yo-yo was halfway back to her, the stunned akuma-victim dazed on the stones before them.

He threw his baton with lightning swiftness. It sailed across the plaza, striking the yoyo. The weapon whipped around Ladybug nearly too fast to see, pinning her arms to her sides, the force of it knocking her to her knees.

And then he was behind her, hauling her up by the string as she cried out.

 _“You,”_ she spat as he secured the string. 

“Me,” he said, pulling her along as he retrieved his baton.

“This is cowardly, even for you,” she hissed, struggling to keep her balance.

“Cowardly?” he said with feigned injury. “And here I thought you’d compliment my cleverness. I didn’t break a sweat this time. I even succeeded.”

“It’s not over yet,” she snarled. And then she gave an almighty _heave_. The string didn’t snap, but it did… _slip_ through his fingers at the sudden weight. Or did he simply let it go? Either way, the surprising lack of resistance meant she found herself over-balanced and face-down on the concrete. 

“Looks like you’re finally falling for me,” he said, crouching beside her. The heart-stopping glare she shot over her shoulder was scorching. 

“Don’t hold your breath,” she said as he hauled her back up. “Actually, go ahead. I’ll wait.”

“You wound me m’lady,” he said. And before she could distract him with her wit and charm, he swept her up bridal-style and leapt back towards the beams of the tower.

She didn’t even scream. Not the way Chloe or anyone else would have. In fact, he would’ve sworn she actually _snarled_ in protest as they sailed up through the tower, a detail he nearly missed, overwhelmed as he was by her proximity. He’d never been this close before. She smelled like vanilla. His body tingled wherever she touched him, and he didn’t think he was imagining the warmth of her in his arms. In fact, he was rather surprised by the rightness of it. 

“Release me,” she demanded as they finally came to a stop. 

“Gladly,” he said. He set her down gently, another beam at her back, and him between her and escape without enough room to manoeuvre. And then he reached for her earrings.

He’d never taken off his miraculous while he was transformed, but he was unprepared the burst of pink that erupted from her skin as it began to dissolve, one earring in his hand. He also wasn’t prepared for her reaction. He’d expected more fight, or at least some foul curse thrown his way.

Instead she had curled in on herself, pressed herself right up against the beam, as far away from him as she could get. She’d drawn her knees up to her chest and squeezed her eyes closed, as if she could prevent the inevitable by simply refusing to see it. The wrongness of it, of seeing her small and terrified, struck him so deeply that he hesitated. 

Fearlessness. Determination. Kindness. Cleverness. Those were the qualities Chat Noir admired most in her, even when he’d told himself he shouldn’t. Those were the things that left him breathless and wanting more. They were the reason he’d fallen for her, despite his better judgement.

And he knew, even then, with victory literally at his fingertips, her transformation dissolving before his eyes, that he would not be the reason he took those things away from her. 

By the time Ladybug realized the sound she heard was her yoyo string slipping back into place and opened her eyes, Chat Noir had disappeared. Her earring had been abandoned on the beam in front of her. When she looked, he was no where to be found.

* * * * * 

Marinette fiddled with her pencil, desperately trying to calm her nerves. The Jardins du Trocadero were full of people, but she couldn’t stop staring at the Eiffel Tower across the Seine. Couldn’t stop the images of that morning’s fight flashing across her mind. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel his arms around her, still hear his heartbeat in her ear as he carried her up those steel beams, her head against his chest. She shivered.

“Hey Marinette.”

She nearly fell off her step as Adrien’s voice sliced through the memory.

“Adrien!” she climbed to her feet, mercifully without tripping down the stone stairs. “I’m so glad you could come.”

“My father had to let me, since it’s for school,” he admitted with an adorable grin. “But I only have about 45 minutes.” He glanced around, his gaze lingering on the Eiffel Tower. “What made you pick the Trocadero?”

“Oh, I’ve been coming here forever,” Marinette admitted. “I always find inspiration here. I’m hoping it’ll help out with our design project.”

“Well your designs always have been amazing,” Adrien said as they sat down again. “Have you come up with anything yet?”

“Not yet,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s a little hard to come up with something under pressure.”

“I get that,” Adrien said with a small laugh. “Hmmmm.” He looked around again, taking in the sights. “What about something Ladybug themed?”

The tip of Marinette’s pencil snapped against her sketchbook. “L-ladybug themed? Why Ladybug themed?”

“Why not?” he asked. He was looking at the tower again. “I heard there was a fight there this morning. Did you see the footage? She was…incredible.”

Marinette stilled, putting down the sharpener she’d pulled out. “Incredible, huh?”

“I’ve never seen anyone fight like her,” Adrien said. “She’s certainly not making Hawkmoth’s job any easier.”

“Ladybug’s a bit obvious, don’t you think?” There was an edge to her voice she hadn’t known she had, but there it was, sharp as a knife and twice as dangerous. But then, her eyes lit up. “Chat Noir on the other hand?”

Adrien glanced down at Marinette out of the corner of his eye. “Chat Noir? Isn’t he one of Hawkmoth’s cronies? Isn’t he…just as bad as him?”

But Marinette was already sketching, broad, violent strokes across the page. “I don’t think so,” she said absently. If Adrien stopped breathing beside her, she didn’t notice. “I think maybe he’s confused. I think maybe he feels like he has no other choice, or that maybe this is what he has to do.”

“Has to do?” Adrien echoed. “For what?”

Marinette shrugged. She’d shifted beside him, resting her elbow on one side of the book as she twirled an earring with her free hand. “I just think there’s more to him,” she said. “They always say he’s with Hawkmoth, but he’s saved Ladybug about a dozen times. He could have beaten her by now, if he really wanted to.” Marinette’s hand stilled on the page, a rough sketch of a three pieces suit beneath her hand. Adrien could see at a glance that it was indeed inspired by Chat Noir, mimicking the lines of his suit in a way he doubted many people could have done with any great accuracy. There was even a small bell in the centre of the bowtie. And rather than villainous, the figure looked…dashing. 

Adrien wordlessly reached over, tilting the sketchbook a little bit more towards him. “Is that really how you see him?”

Marinette swallowed, nodding slowly. “I think…I think Chat Noir could be the hero Paris needs, the partner Ladybug needs, if he could just let himself be that. I think - I _know_ there’s good in him.”

“What makes you so sure about that, Marinette?” Adrien asked, his green eyes flashing. “The way he attacks the city over and over? The way he takes advantage of the people in this city? Or the way he tries to sabotage Ladybug, the best thing that ever happened to these people? To him?”

“I see it,” Marinette said simply. Maybe it was the small smile, or the sureness with which she said it, but in that moment, he almost believed… “But if you’re really against it, we can try something else. It’s a group project after all; I want you to be happy with whatever we decide.”

He was quiet for so long that she really thought he’d ask her to change the design, even though a feeling in her chest was ringing at the rightness of the sketch. The right thing at the right time with the right person. It would be a good project, she could feel it. 

But in the end, he just nodded, losing the intensity. “I’d be happy to use this idea for our project,” Adrien said, risking a smile of his own. “Fabric shopping after school tomorrow?”

“Sounds good,” Marinette said. She flipped the sketchbook closed, but Adrien placed a hand across hers, stopping her from putting it away. She felt her face turn red. His hand was so warm.

“I just…it’s stupid, but…after the project, do you think I could have the sketch?” he asked, turning to face her head on. “If you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” Marinette said over her pounding heart. “Yeah, as soon as we get it back, it’s all yours. I’d be flattered.”

“Thanks, Marinette.” He gave her hand a quick squeeze before letting her go. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“See you tomorrow,” she said, waving after him. 

The next time one of Hawkmoth’s creations showed up, Chat Noir was no where to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! I really hope you liked this. I am planning on writing a multi-chapter fic based on this concept, so if you liked it, please let me know <3


	7. Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When trapped by Hawkmoth in a confined space, the dream team are forced to reveal their identities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! If any of you watched the old 90's Sailor Moon anime (or grew up on it like I did), this one-shot will probably look very familiar! It is based on the iconic Sailor Moon/Tuxedo Mask reveal, and I hope you enjoy it <3

Since becoming Ladybug, Marinette did not spook easily. 

But when the doors to the lobby of the Grand Paris slammed moments before she reached them and the ground started to violently shake, she did scream. A trap. It had been a trap. The empty lobby should have been a dead giveaway. God, she felt so _stupid_.

“Marinette? _Marinette!_ Run!” 

Marinette whirled from the sealed doors as she felt someone grab her hand. “Adrien?”

And then he was pulling her along after him as he sprinted towards the elevators in the lobby of the Grand Paris. The floor pitched and rolled beneath them. It only worsened as they ran, parts of the floor literally buckling and heaving under them. Jagged pieces of marble rose up like broken sky scrapers. Adrien pulled her around one, narrowly avoiding catastrophe.

And then they were ripped apart as she fell, scraping her palms on the ground.

“Marinette!” Adrien skidded to a stop and came back for her. “Come on, Mari, stand up. We have to go.”

He pulled her back up, and they were running again for the open elevator doors across the lobby. She gasped for breath as they careened around the shattered floor. The two of them bounced off the back wall of the elevator. Adrien whipped around, slamming the close-door button. 

Past him, Marinette could see the windows shatter. The shards hovered in the air, then rotated until their sharp ends were pointed like javelins at the elevator doors. Marinette’s heart leapt. “Adrien!” Even as she gasped his name, the glass shot for them. Adrien whirled and grabbed her wrist, yanking her to the ground and covering her body with his. 

_No_. She braced herself for the impact, eyes closed, trembling. With fear, with rage, with desperation, she didn’t know. 

But instead, all she heard was the sound of glass shattering as the shards from the window struck the elevator doors and tinkled to the ground. 

She risked opening her eyes and found herself face to face with Adrien. Those impossibly green eyes were searching her face. “Are you hurt?” he asked, leaning back.

Marinette shook her head. “I don’t think so…” She concentrated as Adrien slid back against the opposite side of the elevator and she slowly sat up. “I’m ok. I’m fine.”

“Good,” Adrien said. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He wasn’t even looking at her. Tension limned his body. His shoulders were tight. She’d never seen him like this before. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I…?” Marinette ducked her head. She couldn’t tell him the truth: that she’d been cornered by an akuma after patrol one day. That Hawkmoth had offered her a trade: the butterfly miraculous, the peacock miraculous, and the guardians book against Ladybug miraculous, winner take all. She could even bring Chat Noir if she wanted, but no one else. He’d stipulated the Grand Paris at six pm in three days time and agreed to a stalemate until then. It had been a strange encounter, and for the first time, Marinette hated her stupid rules, because getting a hold of Chat Noir in that time without an akuma attack would be next to impossible.

And in fact, as it had been her turn to patrol, she hadn’t been able to make contact. She’d left messages, but they hadn’t been returned. She knew it was risky, but she couldn’t let the opportunity slip through her fingers. 

“Wrong place, wrong time,” she finally said. “I was supposed to meet Alya and her mom here when everything went…crazy. By the time I reached the doors, they were sealed. What about you?”

Adrien crossed his arms. “I was supposed to meet a friend.”

“Any idea what’s going on?” she asked. She had a pretty good guess, but she didn’t want to risk being the one to say it.

“My money’s on Hawkmoth,” Adrien said.

“Do you…think it’s safe to try to leave?” Damsel-in-distress was not a role Marinette relished playing, especially with him, but she couldn’t risk him associating her with Ladybug in case he was still around after she transformed. It would be a close call.

But she needn’t have bothered, because no sooner had she asked the question than the elevator jerked into motion. It rose at an irregularly slow speed, though none of the buttons had lit up.

“I guess he wants us to stay,” Adrien muttered as he watched the floors tick up. 

“You mean you think he’s here?” She wasn’t faking her fear that time. She’d always imagined when she faced Hawkmoth, it would be on her terms, not his. That she’d be prepared. That Chat Noir would be with her. And though Adrien had never truly factored into how she imagined it, she’d always assumed he’d be far away, somewhere safe. Definitely not beside her right in the thick of danger. “I - ow!”

Adrien whipped around to face her. Marinette was staring at the palms of her hands. Blood was smeared on the mirror beside her where she’d braced herself on the wall.

“You are hurt,” he said. He closed the space between them, taking her hands in his, palms up. They weren’t bleeding badly, but it was worse than a scrape. 

“It’s nothing,” Marinette said, yanking her hands back. 

“It’s not nothing,” Adrien said. He slid off his jacket and tore two strips from the bottom hem. He held out his hands once more, his face softening when she hesitated. 

Slowly, Marinette gave her hands back. Adrien quickly wrapped them up and seemed satisfied when the white fabric didn’t immediately turn red.

“Thank you,” Marinette murmured.

Adrien twisted to lean beside her against the wall. “It was the least I could do,” he said. 

Marinette looked down, letting her hair hide her face. Did Hawkmoth know who she was? Was this some elaborate trap? Would she have time to transform when they reached…wherever they were going?

“Marinette.” Something about Adrien’s voice sent fear fluttering through Marinette. “When we get to the top, I want you to hide, ok? Stay in the elevator, or duck behind a pillar or something.”

Marinette’s heart skipped. “What about you?”

Adrien’s hands fisted at his sides. “I’ll be fine. But I need to you to stay safe, ok?”

“What do you mean you’ll be - ”

Marinette broke off as the elevator jerked to a stop. The suddenness of the movement nearly sent her flying, but Adrien reached out to steady her. Both of them looked up at the floor display. They’d stopped at floor forty-nine, one down from the top.

Adrien frowned. “What - ?”

A roar erupted above them as the elevator rattled again. Both Marinette and Adrien braced themselves against the walls, grabbing the other as they shook. 

“What is that!” Marinette shouted above the noise even as an answer raced through her mind. It didn’t matter. Whatever it was, it was coming fast, and this high up, they had no chance, and no hope.  
Except…

 _No_. The instinct was so deeply ingrained in her that her heart started to pound in panic. She couldn’t do it, not with Adrien there. She couldn’t expose her identity like that, especially not after…

But if she didn’t, then there wouldn’t be an identity to protect. Ladybug could rip those doors open with her bare hands. Ladybug could save them. 

“Marinette,” Adrien said. There was a fierce determination in his eyes she’d never seen before, and it left her breathless. “I’m sorry for - I’m sorry. It’ll be ok. Just, trust me.” He took a deep breath. “Plagg, claws out!”

Marinette stifled a shriek of surprise as Plagg burst from Adrien’s jacket and disappeared into his ring, a green flash erupting in the cramped space. She staggered back across the elevator, pressing herself as far away from him as she could as Chat Noir’s mask flared across his face. It was over in less than three seconds.

The light hadn’t even fully dispersed yet when Adrien started pulling on the elevator doors. They slid open with a groan of protest. Marinette barely registered they they were actually caught between floors, with a small sliver of light shining through the bottom, just big enough for them to slip through one at a time.

“You first!” Adrien said, turning to her, but she was frozen in place. All this time… All this time, it had always been him. Sitting in front of her in class, fighting by her side. She couldn’t…she couldn’t…“Come on!” 

He didn’t wait for her to process. He grabbed her by the wrist like he had in the lobby and pulled her to the door. How had she not recognized those eyes? “Go!”

But she hesitated. “You should - ”

“I said _go_ ,” he snapped. Marinette steeled herself then, and nodded once before slipping through the crack. Adrien dove after her just as that _thing_ crashed into the elevator. She heard the cables snap, felt the wind from the metal as it sailed by them, missing Adrien by inches as he tucked and rolled across the marble floor. 

Marinette climbed to her feet, wincing. There was nothing but a black hole in the shaft where the shining gold and mirrored elevator had been moments before. Gouges had been torn from the shaft as far up as she could see, accompanied by scorch marks and the smell of smoke. She winced as a crash wailed up the shaft as the elevator finally met the ground level. 

“Marinette.” Marinette whipped around to find Adrien - Chat Noir - watching her, his eyes as guarded as she’d ever seen them. He kept his distance, as though afraid to spook her. He’d been impossible to get a hold of, but here he was. And hadn’t that always been the case? The right place. The right time. “Are you - ok? You’re not hurt?”

“I’m fine.” The words came out quieter than she meant them to, but she couldn’t seem to find her voice just then. “I’m…fine.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. He raised a hand as though he might try to reach her, but dropped it. “I’m sorry. No one was supposed to know, but - ”

“I get it,” Marinette said, cutting him off. And she did. They were her rules, after all. “I understand.”

He smiled, and looked like he was about to say something else when a blast shook the room, knocking them both to their knees. 

“Marinette!” 

She saw Adrien leap for her, only to get knocked out of the air. “No!” Marinette reached for him, but another shockwave rolled through the room. She felt something sharp strike her temple, and everything went dark. 

* * * *

The first thing Marinette became aware of was the stabbing pain in her head. She winced, groaning as she blinked at the light of the setting sun. The last thing she remembered was coming to the Grand Palais…

The sealed doors. The bucking lobby. The elevator. Hawkmoth. _Adrien_.

Marinette moaned again. Were those…voices? She turned her head towards them, trying to make sense of the scene.

They were on he rooftop of the Grand Paris. Chat Noir was just a few feet in front of her in a defensive stance, his staff out. 

“This is between you and me,” Chat Noir was saying. “The girl goes unharmed.”

“The girl is of no concern to me,” Hawkmoth said. 

“Swear it,” Chat Noir hissed. “Guarantee her safety.”

“You have my word, Chat Noir” the villain said. Marinette shuddered; she’d seen that vile grin more times than she cared to count in her nightmares. She tried to move, but her body ached. What had happened? “Though I must admit, I didn’t expect Ladybug to send you in alone.”

“What are you talking about?” Adrien’s grip tightened on his staff. “Ladybug isn’t even here.”

“Yes,” Marinette said, pushing herself up, “I am.” She winced as her body protested, but she forced herself up until she was kneeling. 

“Stay out of this, Marinette,” Chat Noir said. She could hear the panic in his voice. He hadn’t registered what she’d said, but Hawkmoth… She could see his eyes lighting up, drinking in her civilian face, her name. 

“Tikki,” Marinette said, struggling to her feet. “Spots on.”

Marinette met Adrien’s eyes as her kwami disappeared into her earrings and a pink flash lit the rooftop of the hotel. She saw them widen behind his mask as tell-tale tingles raced over her skin. She didn’t miss the shock, the hurt, or the fear there. But in the seconds it took her transformation to take place, they were replaced by warmth, trust, and love. She could see them as clearly as if her own heart beat to the rhythm of him. She felt like her world, which had been tilting off its’ axis for so long now, had suddenly, perfectly, righted itself. And she knew, though it wasn’t something either of them would have chosen, that he had been made for her, as surely as she had been molded for him.

When it was done, Marinette made sure her back was straight as she walked to her partners’ side. She felt better with her Miraculous lending her strength, but an ache still throbbed dully throughout her body. 

Adrien was silent as she stopped beside him. She knew him well enough to recognize the bravado as it slid into place, an act she recognized as innately Chat Noir. A smirk lit his face, one brow raised in amusement. Their revelations would have to wait. “Always a pleasure to have your company, m’lady,” he said, turning back to their opponent. “Although a heads up might have been purr-referable.”

“You’re incredibly difficult to get a hold of,” she quipped back. “But your timing remains impeccable.” 

“Just lucky,” he said, the words gentle. 

“Too bad we can’t say the same for you, Hawkmoth,” Marinette said. “I’m ready to end this. How about you?”

“Looking forward to it, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette’s skin crawled at her name on his lips. He knew her then. “As agreed: your miraculous for the peacock and butterfly miraculous, as well as the guardians book.”

She felt Adrien stiffen beside her as the deal was laid out. “Those are some high stakes,” she heard him mutter. “Are you sure?”

“I wasn’t,” Marinette admitted as she shifted into a fighting stance. “But now… I am now.” She risked a glance at him. She didn’t know how she hadn’t seen it before. How could she not? But now she could see him plainly, as though some veil had been ripped from her eyes. He trusted her. He believed in her. He believed in them. He knew they could win. He knew she could lead them to victory, and he was willing her to follow her straight into Hawkmoth’s lair if that was what that meant. 

“I’m with you, m’lady,” he said with a nod. “Until the end.”

“Until the end,” she echoed. As one, they leapt for Hawkmoth. For their future. For each other. 

And that night, the sun set on one world and rose on a new one, as fresh as the dawn and just as hopeful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those of you who have stuck with me throughout this week! And thank you for reading to any new fans who come along and find this later. I love these two and I hope everyone reading found a little something that made them happy. Any reviews or comments or questions are always welcome, and I hope you'll enjoy more of my writing in the future <3


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